Hello! My name is Edwin Averette and I am the new Coordinator for the NCGenWeb site of Craven County. I applied for this volunteer position because there is so much more to add to the site that can help researchers.
Craven County was one of the most important regions of the state during the colonial era. It was the central political authority in an area of the British Colonies that was on the fringe of British power. There is much to explore and research:
The arrival of the Palatines, after arduous travel conditions, kick-started the building of New Bern, and yet there were already white settlers here some time before DeGraffenried and Lawson. The Tuscaroran War soon after that led to Colonel Barnwell establishing a fort on the Neuse River, what can we garner informationally from that location today? There is over 300 years of written history available thanks to minimal destruction to the said county’s places of record keeping.
My personal specialty is cemetery research.
I evaluate the extensive land documents and narratives which (as an example) helps in placing how a colonial plantation operated and where various sites (such as cemeteries) might have been placed. I’m quite the avocational historic landscape archaeologist.
I’m excited to get the ball rolling. Feel free to contribute information to this site by contacting me.
This summary was written in June 2018 by Taneya Koonce. It was written for use in a church history celebration. Taneya is a descendant of the Robert Cox mentioned in the write-up.
Alum Springs Church has been a staple place of worship in the Craven County community for approximately 150 years. Though the origins of the church may never be fully and precisely documented, we know from early histories of the neighboring church down the road, Lane’s Chapel Methodist Church, that the two churches are forever connected. According to a history of Lane’s Chapel that was published in the book, “The Heritage of Craven County,” Alum Springs has its origins dated to the post-Civil War era.
In the proximity of the current Alum Springs sanctuary, there used to be the Old Cox’s Meeting House, a log cabin church used by multiple denominations. The early Methodist Bishop, Francis Asbury, even held sermons at the Old Cox Meeting House, noting in a personal diary that “there is a prospect of good” at this place. During the Civil War, Old Cox’s Meeting House was burned down and then subsequently replaced. Yet, just several years later, the congregation decided to rebuild again. What did they do with the first replacement? They gave this to the local African-American families to use as their place of worship and thus started the beginning of the Alum Springs Church home.
Along with the church is the graveyard and try as we might, locating the exact date of the very first burial is a nearly impossible task. Though we may suspect the graveyard started prior to the beginning of the 20th century, our current records provide us with the names of only a select few buried here around that time. It was not uncommon back then for the final resting places of our loved ones to either have no markings at all, have wooden grave markers, or to have markers that could not withstand the test of time. If you look out at our graveyard now you will see evidence of this fact as there are stone markings that no longer have legible writing.
Robert Cox headstone
From the diligent efforts of local historians and volunteers, who have taken the time to compile information from records captured long ago, and make updates by canvassing all the cemeteries in the county, we do know the names of a few of those buried early in the 20th century. The oldest burial that we can find documented among these records is that of Robert Cox, a man born into slavery in 1823, survived through enslavement, and preserved to live a long life, dying at the age of 85 in September of 1908. Robert had at least five children that we know of – Moses, Robert Jr., Joseph, Edward, and Cora – and many of his and their descendants are also buried here at Alum Springs. Many descendants also still worship in the church.
Robert’s tombstone still stands in the graveyard today, there to remind us all of the memory of our ancestors. As we honor the church’s history, let us continue to ensure that “there is a prospect of good” at Alum Springs, our church, our home.
References:
Thorne, B. M. H., & Eastern North Carolina Genealogical Society (New Bern, N.C.). (1984). The Heritage of Craven County, North Carolina. New Bern, North Carolina: Hunter Pub. Co. [Find in a Library]
In the 1930′s and 1940′s, the workers of the Works Progress Administration (now called the Works Projects Administration) set out to record burial information for cemeteries across the state. These records are provided online by the NC State Archives and State Library of NC; visit their website to view the PDF file. You can learn more about the compilation work to put these records together on the NC Miscellany blog.
In order to make the records easier for you to navigate, we have provided an all-name index to the Craven County burials included in the WPA records. The index includes more than 4,500 names.
Do keep in mind that there were often errors in these transcriptions so you’ll want to be sure you follow-up accordingly.
We again direct attention to the opening, on Monday next, the 19th inst. Prof. FETTER is a good instructor, has grown old in educational service in our State, and deserves the support and patronage of our people. The fortunes of war, and the wreck and ruin which followed, left him like many another, stranded upon the shores of adversity, but he labors as cheerfully in the cause to which he has devoted his life at the head of an academy as when occupying the proud position of professor at the University at Chapel Hill in the parliament days of that grand and noble institution.
Source: Daily Commercial News, 18 September 1881, page 1.
DIED – In Newbern, NC., on Saturday night, August 6th, 1881, of Continued Fever, Miss Addie HENRY, in the 21st year of her age. The funeral took place from the Presbyterian Church, Monday afternoon, August 8th, when a large concourse of sympathising friends assembled and followed her remains to Cedar Grove Cemetery.
Thus has the stern Reaper Death, again plucked a beautiful flower, shining amid the bearded grain. Grey headed manhood and tender girlhood are together hasting from our city to the great white-robed multitude above; and breaking hearts and tear-dimmed eyes are watching their receeding flight. Suddenly has Addie HENRY been summoned to join that army over the river. Gentle, amiable, unobtrusive, adorned with the ornaments of a Christian spirit, above all price – and possessed of fine and highly cultured musical abilities, she was indeed the light of her home. Always cheerful- full of sympathy and kindness, she was day by day developing into a beautiful womanhood, with promise of much usefulness, under the admiring eyes of loving parents and hopeful friends.
But this opening flower has been suddenly transplanted to the heavenly garden by the Great Husbandman. This sad providence is very cloudy to our eyes but we shall soon cease to look through a glass darkly, and shall know clearly the wisdom and love of earthly sorrows. Even now light shines; for death found Addie with her lamp trimmed and burning through sovereign free grace. Almost in the act of repeating to her Pastor the 23rd Pslam, and 14th chapter of the Gospel of John, she passed on to give herself to the Good Shepherd of her trust and love. Blessed are they, who remember their Creator in the days of their youth, for when the Lord calls them, they are taken from the evil to the perfect rest and bliss of the eternal and heavenly inheritance of His chosen ones, with whom He has made a covenant. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” – L.C.V.
Source: Daily Commercial News, 13 August 1881, page 1.
Found this in the Internet Archive – uploaded by the University of North Carolina. It’s a catalog from 1904 from the New Bern Military Academy & the Carolina Business College. The catalog has several nice pictures from around the campus and nearby areas.
Click on the image to go to the Internet Archive and peruse it!
Princess Anne County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 177
In the name of God Amen ye last will and testament of Peter Crashly being weak in body but in perfect (unreadable) mind and memory I give my soule to all mighty God that gave it in hopes of a joyful resurrection through (unreadable) the merits of my only redeemer and my body to the Earth in hopes of a joyfull resurrection March ye 13th day (unreadable) 1706/7: I give and bequeath unto Sarah Eaton my grandchild ye daughter of Michaell Eaton seven head of (unreadable) cattle with theire increes male & female being in North Carrolina on ye south side of neuce river at (unreadable) Hutsons now in his possession I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ann ye wife of Michael Eaton (unreadable) all my land belonging to my plantation at muddy creek to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten (unreadable) by Michael Eaton
William Dyer Princess Peter (the mark of) Crashly & seale
John (ye mark of) Eaton Ann
At a court held ye 3d July 1717
Then ye above last will of Peter Crashly
Decd: was presented in court by Michael Eaton
Who made oath thereof & being proved by ye oaths of the
